Animoto Adds Movies To Their Movies!

Where Animoto shines is taking somewhat dull photos and now video and really making them sparkle. The effects are clever and definitely modern.

Word came in yesterday Animoto was expanding their offerings. I heard in an email from my editor.

I remember that you like this service, so thought I'd forward.

Nothing like a patsy doing the writeup! I've reviewed Animoto before but they've got something new up their Series-B funded sleeves.

Animoto was a site that set your photos to music while turning them into movies. It's pretty impressive because even without malice of forethought or human intervention the finished product beat the pants of a standard slideshow.

Still images are no longer Animoto's only trick. Now you can add video to the still photo mix. If you're shooting stills and video at the same time this will be very helpful. I have thought of doing that myself, however I value my marriage too much to seriously consider!

Incorporate video from iPhone 3Gs, Flips and other devices - and give it the JJ Abrams treatment, in minutes.

Whoa! Let's dial down the hyperbole level just a tad. I like you Animoto, but no free pass. I'm not going to let you compare JJ Abrams to an edit bot--which is what this really is. It's a sophisticated edit bot, but it's a bot.

Where Animoto shines is taking somewhat dull photos and now video and really making them sparkle by cutting them music video style. The effects are clever and definitely modern. The finished product is paced to music you choose. An Animoto movie will not try your attention span!

In an earlier review I'd complained about Animoto's long render times. Even in the middle of the night (US time) it's taking minutes to produce a test video. I suspect this is a major turnoff to many users (it is to me) and I'm not sure why the system isn't better optimized. I'd be curious how many videos are rendered but never watched because the author has given up all hope. It's 2009. Short attention spans rule.

Thirty second videos, enough for about a dozen stills, are provided free. Longer productions cost $3.00 (up to ten minutes in length) and a one year All-Access Pass goes for $30. Other value added upgrades are available.